













































































LIBRARY of COiW r 
Two Copies Rece- 

JUN 11 

. Copyright Horn 

Uiy* Z& f l&oA* 

CLASS 4 XXc/K-. ' 

* £&& I 


rW 


n 





Boofc_3j 3 


Cofynght N° 


COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 
























o 

ro 


F 


M 
















































































































































" v' : - 




















r 




















































































■ 















, 
































COPYRIGHT 1904 


BY 

Milton N. Rogers. 



Price per copy 25 cents, postage prepaid. Send postal 
money order to 

MILTON N. ROGERS, 

3604 Stevens Avenue, 

Minneapolis, Minn. 



PREFACE 


o 


This book is intended to supply the public with a work 
on parliamentary law that is based upon the general prin¬ 
ciples and rules of Congress but adapted in its details to the 
use of ordinary societies. 

Among the subjects considered are the methods of organ¬ 
izing and conducting meetings, the duties of officers, the names 
of ordinary motions, and also states systematically in refer¬ 
ence to each motion, its object and effect, whether it can be 
amended or debated, the circumstances under which it can 
be made, and what other motion can be made while it is pend¬ 
ing. 

This publication has been prepared with the hope of sup¬ 
plying the above information in a condensed and systematic 
form, and so arranged that a presiding officer can find all of 
the information wanted in reference to any subject or motion 
instantaneously. 

The pages that contain a list of motions are so clipped and 
indexed that by taking hold of the edge of the book with the 
right hand and placing the thumb upon the motion wanted, 
the presiding officer can turn to the information that will en¬ 
able him to decide a question at once. 

The rules laid down in this book are in harmony with 
Roberts Ryles of Order, but are so written that they are 
more easily understood by ordinary societies. 

There is no other pocket book of similar publication that is 
so well adapted to the use of ordinary societies and contains 
so many useful rules to assist the memory, and to instruct a 
presiding officer in his work. 

With the hope that this volume will prove of practical 
jtility to others besides the author, it is submitted to the 
public for their approval. 

By MILTON N. ROGERS, 

Minneapolis, Minn. 


March i, 1904. 


l 



INTRODUCTION 


Parliamentary law originated in the English House of Par¬ 
liament, and their rules and customs of transacting business 
formed a part of the unwritten law of the land. In our own 
legislative bodies they are of authority in all cases where they 
do not conflict with standing rules or precedence. But the 
people of this country are always ready for such changes as 
they think are improvements; hence changes have been and 
are constantly being made in the written rules which our 
legislative bodies have found best to adopt. 

As each house adopts its own rules, it results that the two 
houses of the same legislature do not always agree in their 
rules, and as a consequence of this, the exact method of con¬ 
ducting business in any particular legislative body is to be 
found only in the legislative manual of that body. 

With the vast number of societies, literary, scientific, benev¬ 
olent and political, that are formed all over the land, they must 
have some system of conducting business, some rules to gov¬ 
ern their proceedings, and they are necessarily subject to the 
common parliamentary law of the land where it does not con¬ 
flict with their own special rules. 

As the people of this country have been educated under a 
system of parliamentary law which is peculiar to this country 
and so well established as to supersede the English parlia¬ 
mentary law, our societies follow the customs of our own leg¬ 
islative bodies as the common law of ordinary deliberative 
assemblies. 



The practice of the United States House of Representa¬ 
tives should have the same force in this country as the prac¬ 
tice of the House of Commons has in England, in determin¬ 
ing the general principles of the common parliamentary law 
of the land; but it does not follow that in every matter of 
detail the rules of Congress can be appealed to as the com¬ 
mon law governing every deliberative assembly. 

In matters of detail, the rules of each House of Congress 
are adapted to their own peculiar wants, and are of no force 
whatever in other assemblies; as for instance, no ordinary 
society would accept the rules of Congress as common par¬ 
liamentary law that would give the chairman power to order 
the galleries cleared in case of disorderly conduct, or that any 
fifteen members would be authorized to compel the attendance 
of absent members and make them pay the expense of the 
messengers sent after them. But upon all great parliamentary 
questions, such as what motions can be made, what is their 
object and effect, what is their order of precedence, and which 
can be debated, etc., the common law of the land is settled 
by the practice of the United States House of Representatives, 
and not by the United States Senate, the English Parliament, 
or any other body. 

While in most cases there is no difficulty in deciding the 
question as to whether the practice of Congress determines 
the common parliamentary law, yet there are doubtful cases 
upon which there would be a difference of opinion, and to 
avoid the difficulties always arising from a lack of definite¬ 
ness in the law, every deliberative assembly should adopt 
Rules of Order for the conduct of their business. 


3 


List of Common Motions 


E 

§M 

05 


OP 

"O 

c 

c 

E 

<0 

03 

G 

C 

03 

•e- 

j£ 

g 

5 

of 

G 

4) 

G 


OP 

"O 

c 

c 

E 

a 

OP 

G 

© 

c 

c 

03 

03 

• e> 

£ 

s 

03 

»■ 

(8 

£ 

V 

a 


>H 

© 

Cs 3 

H 


2 

H W 

o 9 

SB 5 
2 w 

2 o 

o On 

S H 

S CO 

© o 

On On 


•s 

■c 

c 

05 

E 

(8 

05 

.Q 

S 

<8 

05 
• *■ 
V 

g 

« 

15 

g 

03 

G 


■c 

03 

TJ 

C 

© 

E 

TJ 

03 

G 

C 

03 

© 

• 9~ 

V 

g 

15 

G 

© 

G 


"O 

03 

"O 

C 

03 

E 

03 

03 

.a 
c 

03 

O 


jQ 

2 

15 

G 

03 

G 


TJ 

03 

-D 

C 

03 

E 

« 

03 

g 


c 

03 

03 

• e> 

03 


"O 

03 

TJ 

C 

03 

s 

03 

03 

G 

o 

c 

e 

03 

© 

• 9- 

03 


03 

03 

•u 

e 

03 

E 

03 

03 

G 

© 

c 

c 

03 

03 


G 

03 

© 

G 

03 

"O 

s 

=3 


G 

03 

(8 
£1 
45 
■D 
C 
2 


X} 

« 

« 

A 

45 

TJ 

C 

a 


© 

M 

G*n 

W 

© 

© 


W 5-h 

s S 

5 SB 

^ S 
o o 

H O 


13 

03 

*53 

C 

03 

E 

© 

03 

g 

-*-» 

© 

c 

c 

03 

03 


JJ3 ^ 03 03 03 


cn 

c 

• Mi 

Cn 

e 

a 

u 

>> 

-a 

■a 

05 

■o 

e 

05 

E 

ro 

05 


a 

05 

•r' 

03 


G 

© 

15 

G 

03 

*U 


G 

03 

•mm 

03 

G 

03 

T3 

C 

2 


i i i i i i i i i i 


*-< <m* co tt 


2= 

S5 

© 

H 

w 

»-5 

S3 

>N 

< 

© 


h* 


CO 

<3 

w 


* 

LU 

w 


© 



CG 


W 

33 

H 

S5 

E—' 


> 

h— 

LJU 

© 

CO 

© 

© 

Cm 

© 

CO 

© 

© 

© 

N-a 

LU 

Ql. 

CO 

> 

w 

© 

© 

>< 

< 

© 

w 

© 

© 

V 

© 

C 

o 

LU 

h— 

cu 

Oh 

© 

© 

H 

X 

ll. 

uS 

• 

NO 

• 

IN. 

• 

oo 

• 

Os 

• 


4 



The above motions are called common motions because they are most 
commonly used. Any of them (except to amend) can be made while one of 
a lower order or number is pending, but none can supersede one of a higher 


u 

03 

43 

a 

3 

3 

u 

o 

u 

03 

r a 

u 

o 


u 

<13 

3 

3 

<13 

73 

> 

o 

a 

O 

g 

O 

-M 

0 

a 

o 

a 

3 

o 

0 

• fH 

-+-> 

y 

3 

<13 

43 

u 

03 

HH 

O 

mh 


71 


O 

o 

U 


>- 

3 

o 

CQ 

43 

43 


71 3 

*—H • rH 

3 

O 03 
£ 

£ 2 

bC 5 

I £ 

ft +-> 

03 ^ 

43 
1C 


u 

a; 

43 

a 

3 

3 

3 

o 

• IH 
+-> 

o 

a 


03 

u 


02 

3 

• iH 

i-l 

o 

ft 


73 

3 

3 

of 


02 

U 

( 1 ) 02 
43 3 

a .a 

3 


02 

3 

O 


o 

a 

u 

0) 

42 


<u a 

43 3 

^ 3 

0) <13 

N 43 

•i-i -+-> 

O 33 

a $ 

« * 

a s 

03 

73 72 


3 

O 

43 

02 


o O 

a o 

s: 

03 ^ 

£ mh 

I 0 
8 >> 

0 5 

-+j 3 


43 

3 

03 

43 


U 

03 qq 
O ni 

2 
o 


o 

02 


be £ 
3 (u 
ft 43 

a 

3 
3 


02 

03 

U 

ft 

03 

43 

H 


o 

a 


03 

43 

4-» 

*0 

3 

3 

02 

3 

O 

• 

o 

a 


Business 45 
Miscellaneous 


Organization 37 
of Meetings 

I 

LIST OF 33 
! MiscellaneousMotions 


LIST OF 27 
Incidental Questions 

LIST OF 21 
Privileged Motions 

— 

PRINCIPAL 
MOTION 9 


LIST OF 
Subsidiary Motions 


POSTPONE 

INDEFINITELY 


TO AMEND 11 


COMMIT OR 
REFER 15 

Postpone to a 
Certain Time 


02 

3 

3 

O 

O 

02 

02 

3 


THE PREVIOUS 
QUESTION 17 

LAY ON THE 
TABLE 19 















List of Common Motions 


4 

j 


FORMS OF PUTTING 


Rule i.—When a motion is made and sec¬ 
onded the most common form for putting 
the motion is: “It has been moved and sec- 
onded.that .(here state the motion). As 
many as are in favor of the motion say yes; 
those opposed, say no.” 

Rule 2.—If the vote has been ordered to 
be taken by yeas and nays, the motion is 
put in a form similar to the following: “As 
many as are in favor of the motion will, 
when their names are called, answer yes; 
those opposed will answer no.” 

Rule 3.—When upon the introduction of 
a motion, someone objects to its consider¬ 
ation, the chairman immediately puts the 
motion thus: “Shall the question be con¬ 
sidered?” 

Rule 4.—If an appeal is made from the 
decision of the chairman, the question is 
put thus: “Shall the decision of the chair 
stand as the judgment of the assembly (or 
union) ?” 

Rule 5.—If the Previous Question is de¬ 
manded, it is put thus: “Shall the main 
question be now put?” or “Shall debate be 
now closed, and the vote taken on the 
pending question?” (It requires a two- 
thirds vote to pass this motion.) 

Rule 6.—When a committee makes a re¬ 
port on a resolution that has been referred 


6 




CERTAIN MOTIONS 


to them, if they recommend its adoption, or 
make no recommendation, or recommend 
that it be not adopted, in either case the 
question should be on adopting the reso¬ 
lution. In the latter case it is put thus: 
“The question is on the adoption of the 
resolution, the report of the committee to 
the contrary notwithstanding.” 

(See R, page 89.) 

Rule 7. If the Orders of the Day are 
called for, the question is put thus: “Will 
the assembly now proceed to the Orders 
of the Day?” 

Note.—When a vote is taken, the chair¬ 
man should always announce the results 'in 
the following form: “The motion is car¬ 
rie d ; the, resolution is adopted^ If, when 
"he announces the vote, any member rises 
and states that he doubts the vote, and calls 
for a division of the house, the chairman 
shall say, “A division of the house is called 
for. Those in favor of the motion will rise.” 
After counting these, and announcing the 
number, he shall say, “Those opposed will 
rise.” He will count these, announce the 
number, and state whether the motion is 
carried or lost. Instead of counting the 
vote himself, he can direct the secretary, 
or appoint tellers, to make the count, and 
report to him. 


Business 45 
Miscellaneous 


Organization 37 
of Meetings 

li 

LIST OF 33 
i MisceilaneousMotions 


LIST OF 27 
Incidental Questions 

LIST OF 21 
Privileged Motions 

PRINCIPAL 
MOTION 9 

LIST OF 
Subsidiary Motions 


POSTPONE 

INDEFINITELY 

TO AMEND 11 

COMMIT OR 
REFER 15 


Postpone to a 
Certain Time 


THE PREVIOUS 
QUESTION 17 


1 


LAY ON THE 
TABLE 19 















List of Common Motions 



Principal Motion or 
Main Question 

Section i. A Principal Motion is a mo¬ 
tion made to bring before the assembly for 
its consideration any particular subject. 
It requires to be seconded; it is debatable; 
it can be amended; it requires a majority 
vote to pass; it takes precedence of nothing, 
and yields to all other questions. 

Sec. 2. No Principal Motion is in order 
' when any other question is before the as¬ 
sembly. No motion is in order that con¬ 
flicts with the Constitution, By-Laws, 
Standing Rules or Resolutions already 
adopted by the assembly, and if adopted 
they are null and void. In order to intro¬ 
duce such a motion it is necessary to amend 
the Constitution or By-Laws, or to rescind 
the rules or resolutions. 

Sec. 3. A negative motion is not in order 
at any time, because in the transaction of 
business of an assembly, it would be folly 
to refuse to do that which they had not 
been asked to do. (See note R, pages 69- 
89 .) 

Note.—When an amendment to the Con¬ 
stitution or By-Laws is submitted to the 
assembly in the proper way, it stands before 
the assembly the same as a Principal Mo¬ 
tion. 


S 



Business 45 
Miscellaneous 


List of 

Subsidiary Motions 

Section i. Subsidiary Motions are such 
as are applied to other motions, for the pur¬ 
pose of most properly disposing of them. 
They take precedence of a Principal Ques¬ 
tion, and must be decided before the Prin¬ 
cipal Question can be acted upon. 

Sec. 2. Any of these motions (except to 
Amend) can be made when one of a lower 
number is pending, but none can super¬ 
sede one of a higher number. 

Sec. 3. They cannot be applied to one 
another except in the following cases: The 
Previous Question applies to the motion to 
Postpone, without affecting the principal 
motion, and can, if specified, be applied to 
a pending amendment. The motion to post¬ 
pone to a certain day, to commit and to 
amend, can be amended; and a motion to 
amend the minutes can be laid on the table 
without carrying the minutes with it. 


Organization 37 
of Meetings 


LIST OF 33 
Miscellaneous Motions 


LIST OF 27 
Incidental Questions 

LIST OF 21 
Privileged Motions 


PRINCIPAL 
MOTION 9 


LIST OF 
Subsidiary Motions 


POSTPONE 

INDEFINITELY 

TO AMEND 11 


2 Postpone Indefinitely. 

3 To Amend. 

4 Commit, or Refer. 

5 Postpone to a Certain day. 

6 The Previous Question. 

7 Lay on the Table. 


COMMIT OR 
REFER 15 

Postpone to a 
Certain Time 


THE PREVIOUS 
QUESTION 17 

LAY ON THE 
TABLE 19 

















List of Comi lotions 


Postpone Indefinitely 



Section i. Postpone Indefinitely is a mo¬ 
tion made to suppress the Principal Motion 
or Main Question. It requires to be sec¬ 
onded ; it opens to debate the entire ques¬ 
tion which it is proposed to postpone; it 
cannot be amended; it requires a majority 
vote to pass; it takes precedence of noth¬ 
ing except the Principal Question, and 
yields to any Subsidiary Motion, Privileged 
Motion, Incidental Question, or Question of 
Privilege, “except to Amend.” It cannot 
be applied to any question except the Prin¬ 
cipal Question, or a Question of Privilege. 

Sec. 2. The effect of this motion is to 
entirely remove the question from before 
the assembly for that session. An affirmative 
vote on this question is identical in effect 
with a negative vote on the main question. 
Its only value is when the opposition is 
doubtful of its strength, they have an op¬ 
portunity to test their strength on this mo¬ 
tion, and if defeated they still have an 
opportunity to struggle for victory, which 
would not be the case if they had been de¬ 
feated on a vote on the Main Question. 

Sec. 8. The Previous Question, if ordered 
when this motion is pending, applies only 
to it without affecting the Main Question. 


10 




TO AMEND 


Section i. To Amend is a motion made 
to modify or change a motion, so that it 
may be more acceptable to the assembly. 

It requires to be seconded; it is debata¬ 
ble; it can be amended; it requires a ma¬ 
jority vote to pass; it talces precedence of 
nothing but the question which it is pro¬ 
posed to amend, and yields to any Subsid¬ 
iary Motion, Privileged Motion, Incidental 
Question, or Question of Privilege, “except 
to Postpone Indefinitely.” 

Sec. 2. It can be applied to all motions 
except the following, which cannot be 
amended : 

Reconsider. 

Postpone Indefinitely. 

Amendment of an Amendment. 

The Previous Question. 

Lay on the Table. 

All Incidental Questions. 

Orders of the Day. . 

Adjourn (when unqualified). 

Sec. 3. A motion or resolution is amend¬ 
ed by altering or changing the words of the 
motion or resolution. An amendment is 
amended by altering or changing the words 
of the amendment. 


L of C. 


Business 45 
Miscellaneous 

Organization 37 
of Meetings 

LIST OF 33 
Miscellaneous Motions 


LIST OF 27 
Incidental Questions 

LIST OF 21 
Privileged Motions 


(CONTINUED) 13 


POSTPONE 

INDEFINITELY 

TO AMEND 11 

COMMIT OR 

REFER 15 y 

Postpone to a 
Certain Time 


THE PREVIOUS 
QUESTION 17 

LAY ON THE 
TABLE 19 













List of lotions 


Continued 



Sec. 4. An amendment may be in any of 
the following forms: 

' 1st—Add or insert certain words or para¬ 
graphs. 

2 d^Strike out certain words or para¬ 
graphs. 

3d—Strike out certain words and insert 
others. 

4th—Divide the question into two or more 
questions, as the mover may specify, so as 
to get a separate vote on each point. 

5th—Substitute another resolution or 
paragraph on the same subject for the one 
pending. 

Sec. 5. An amendment may be inconsist¬ 
ent with the spirit of the original motion, 
but it must have a direct bearing upon the 
subject of that motion. To illustrate: A 
motion that we pay our secretary for at¬ 
tending the fair, could be amended by strik¬ 
ing out “pay” and inserting “fine;” but a 
motion that we build a hall to hold our 
meetings in, cannot be amended so as to 
substitute’a motion that we march on Labor - 
Day; because it would not have any bear¬ 
ing upon the subject of the motion, that we 
build a hall to hold our meetings in. A 
motion cannot be amended so as to change 


12 



Business 45 
Miscellaneous 


Continued | Organization 37 

_ of Meetings 


its form; that is, a motion to adopt a reso¬ 
lution cannot be amended so as to substi¬ 
tute a motion to reject the resolution, as 
this changes the form of the resolution. 

Sec. 6. Filling Blanks are treated dif¬ 
ferently from other amendments, as any 
number of members may propose, without 
a second, different number for filling a 
blank, and they are treated as independent 
propositions, to be voted on successively, 
the smallest sum and longest time being put 
first. 


LIST OF 33 
Miscellaneous Motions 


LIST OF 27 
Incidental Questions 

LIST OF 21 
Privileged Motions 


(CONTINUED) 13 


Sec. 7. Nominations are treated similar 
to filling blanks, as any number of nomi¬ 
nations can be made, the chairman announc¬ 
ing each name as he hears it, and they 
should be voted for in the order announced 
until one receives a vote sufficient for elec¬ 
tion, which is a majority, unless the By- 
Laws prescribe a different number. 

Note.—A substitute is the same as an 
amendment, having the same privilege and 
no more. (See R, page 67.) 


COMMIT OR 
REFER 15 


Postpone to a 
Certain Time 


THE PREVIOUS 
QUESTION 17 

LAY ON THE 
TABLE 19 













List of lotions 


Commit or Refer 



Section i. Commit or Refer is a motion 
made to refer to a committee any question 
that is not well digested, or needs investi¬ 
gation, or needs more amendmentsthan can 
well be made in the assembly. 

It requires to be seconded; it is debat¬ 
able ; it can be amended by changing the 
committee, or giving it instructions. It re¬ 
quires a majority vote to pass; it takes 
precedence of the motion to Amend or 
Postpone Indefinitely, and yields to the mo¬ 
tions to Postpone to a Certain Day, the 
Previous Question, to Lay on the Table, 
all Privileged Motions and Incidental Ques¬ 
tions. 

Sec. 2. There are three different kinds of 
committees: 

ist—Committee of the Whole. 

2d—Standing Committee. 

3d—Special Committee. 

In Committee of the Whole, the only 
motions in order are to Amend, Adopt, 
Rise, and Report. The only way to close 
or limit debate in Committee of the Whole 
is for the assembly to vote that the debate 
in committee shall cease at a certain time, 
or in some other way regulate the time for 
debate. In Standing Committees and Spe¬ 
cial Committees, all motions that are in 
order in the assembly are in order in these 
committees. 




14 





Postpone to a Certain 
Time 


Section i. Postpone to a Certain Time 
is a motion made to defer action upon a 
question until a particular time. The ef¬ 
fect of this motion is to postpone the entire 
subject to the time specified, until which 
time it cannot be taken up except by a 
two-thirds vote. (See R, page 62.) 

It requires to be seconded; it allows of 
very limited debate, which must be confined 
to the propriety of the postponement to 
that time. It can be amended by changing 
the time; it requires a majority vote to 
pass; it takes precedence of a Motion to 
Commit, or Amend, cr Indefinitely Post¬ 
pone, and yields to the Motion to Lay on 
the Table, the Previous Question, Priv¬ 
ileged Motion, and Incidental Questions. In 
Congress a motion cannot be postponed to 
the next session, but it is customary, in or¬ 
dinary societies. (See R, page, 63.) 

Sec. 2. Where several questions are 
postponed to different times and are not 
reached then, they shall be considered in 
the order of the time to which they were 
postponed. In Congress it is not in order 
to postpone to a time beyond the session; 
but it is customary in ordinary societies. 


Business 45 
Miscellaneous 


Organization 37 
of Meetings 

LIST OF 33 

MiscellaneousMotions 


LIST OF 27 
Incidental Questions 

LIST OF 21 
Privileged Motions 


COMMIT OR 
REFER 15 

Postpone to a 
Certain Time 


THE PREVIOUS 
QUESTION 17 

LAY ON THE 
TABLE 19 


















lotions 


The Previous Question 


> 

'{ 


Section i. The Previous Question is a 
technical name for this motion, conveying 
a wrong impression of its import, as it has 
nothing to do with the subject previously 
under consideration. To demand the pre¬ 
vious question is equivalent in effect to 
move “that ,debate now cease, and the as¬ 
sembly immediately proceed to vote on the 
pending question, or questions.” 

It requires to be seconded; it is not de¬ 
batable ; it cannot be amended; it requires 
a two-thirds vote to pass; it takes prece¬ 
dence of every debatable question, and 
yields to Privileged Motions, Incidental 
Questions and to the motion to Lay on the 
Table. 

Sec. 2. When a member calls for the 
Previous Question and the call is seconded, 
the presiding officer immediately puts the 
question thus, “Shall the Main Question be 
now put?” or “Shall debate be now closed 
and the vote taken on the pending ques¬ 
tion ?” 

Sec. 3. If adopted its effect is to instantly 
close debate and bring the assembly to a 
vote upon the pending question; except, 
when a question has been reported from a 
committee, then the member reporting the 
measure has the right to make the closing 
speech. (See R, page 99.) 

Sec. 5. After the demand for the Previ¬ 
ous Question and up to the moment of tak¬ 
ing the last vote under it, it is in order to 
move that the Main Question be Laid on 
the Table, or move to adjourn. 




Continued 


Note.—Much of the confusion here¬ 
tofore existing in regard to the Pre¬ 
vious Question has arisen from the 
changes which this motion has under¬ 
gone. As originally designed, and at 
present used in the English Parliament, 
the previous question was not intended 
to suppress debate, but to suppress the 
.main question. It was put in this form, 
“Shall the main question be put?” If 
the motion was lost, the main question 
was dismissed for that session. Its 
form was afterwards changed to this, 
“Shall the main question be now put?” 
and if the motion was lost the question 
was dismissed, for that day. 

Our Congress has gradually changed 
the English Previous Question into an 
entirely different motion, so that, while 
in England the mover of the previous 
question votes against it, in this coun¬ 
try he votes for it. At first its effect was 
to cut off all motions except the main 
question, upon which a vote was imme¬ 
diately taken. This was changed later, 
so as to bring the House to a vote first 
upon pending amendments, and then 
upon the main question. In 1848 its ef¬ 
fect was changed again so as to bring 
the House to a vote upon the motion to 
commit if it had been made, then upon 
amendments reported by a committee, ff 
any, then upon pending amendments and 
finally upon the mam question. The , 
previous question is now a motion to j 
close debate and proceed to voting as 
described in the above sections. 


Business 45 
Miscellaneous 

Organization 37 
of Meetings 

j 

LIST OF 33 
Miscellaneous Motions 


i LIST OF 27 
: Incidental Questions 

LIST OF 21 
Privileged Motions 


THE PREVIOUS 
QUESTION 17 

LAY ON THE 
TABLE 19 










lotions 


Lay on the Table 



Section x i. To Lay on the Table is a 
motion made to defer action on a question 
or lay it aside temporarily until some other 
question is disposed of, retaining the right 
to resume its consideration at any time. 
It removes the subject from consideration 
till the assembly vote to take it from the 
table. 

It requires to be seconded; it is not de¬ 
batable ; it cannot be amended; it requires 
a majority vote to pass; it takes precedence 
of all other Subsidiary Questions, and yields 
to any Privileged Motion or Incidental 
Question. It cannot have any other sub¬ 
sidiary motion applied to it, nor can an 
affirmative vote on it be reconsidered. 

Sec. 2. The general effect of this mo¬ 
tion is to place on the table everything that 
adheres to the subject; as, for instance, if 
an amendment be ordered to lay on the ta¬ 
ble, the subject which it is proposed to 
amend goes there with it. The following 
cases are exceptional: An amendment to the 
minutes being laid on the table does not 
carry the minutes with it. An appeal from 
the' decision of the chair being laid on the 
table does not carry the original subject to 
the table. When a motion to reconsider a 
question is laid on the table, the original 
question is left just where it was before 
the reconsideration was moved. A ques¬ 
tion of privilege does not adhere to the sub¬ 
ject it may happen to interrupt, and conse- 


18 




Business 45 
Miscellaneous 


Continued 

Organization 37 
of Meetings 

il 

quently if laid on the table does not carry LIST OF 33 
with it the question pending when it was MiscellaneousMotions 
raised. 

Sec. 3. The form of putting this motion ; 
is: “I move to lay the question on the ta- i| 
ble,” or, “that it be laid on the table.” 

When it is desired to take the question up 
again, a motion should be made thus: “I 
move to. take the question from the table 
in reference to—(here state the question).” 

This motion has no privilege, and is unde- 
batable, and cannot have any subsidiary mo¬ 
tion applied to it. 


LIST OF 27 
Incidental Questions 

LIST OF 21 
Privileged Motions 


Sec. 4. A motion to Lay on the Table 
cannot be limited in any way. If a motion 
is made to lay a question on the table for 
a specified time, it should not be ruled out 
of order, but should be recognized and 
stated by the chair as a motion to post¬ 
pone to a definite time. It is improper to 
lay on the table reports of committees or 
unfinished business. The object sought by 
such motions can only be attained by sus¬ 
pending the rules or by laying on the table 
each successive report as it comes up for 
action. 


Sec. 5. When a motion is made to lay a 
question on the table, as soon as said ques¬ 
tion is introduced, it does not prevent 
the person who introduced the question 
from claiming the floor, to which he is en¬ 
titled, and speak to the question. (See R, 
pages 26-54.) 


LAY ON THE 


TABLE 19 












Privileged Motions 


Section i. Privileged Motions are such 
as, on account of their importance, take 
precedence of all other motions whatever, 
and on account of this very privilege they 
are undebatable excepting when relating to 
the right of the assembly or its members, 
as otherwise they could be made use of so 
as to seriously interrupt business. 

Sec. 2. Any of these motions can be 
made when one of a lower number is 
pending, but none can supersede one of a 
higher number. (See R, page 35.) 

They are as follows: 

8. Call for the Order of the Day. 

8 ^ 2 . Question relating to the Rights and 
Privileges of the Assembly 
or any of its members. 

9. To Adjourn. 

10. To Fix the time to which the As¬ 
sembly shall Adjourn. 

Any of the above motions can be made 
while one of a lower number is pending, 
but none can supersede one of a higher 
number. 


20 




Business 45 
Miscellaneous 


Order of the Day 


Organization 37 
of Meetings 


Section i. Sometimes an assembly de¬ 
cides that certain questions shall be con¬ 
sidered at a particular time, and when that 
time arrives these questions constitute what 
is termed the Orders of the Day. In or¬ 
dinary societies, the regular order of busi¬ 
ness that has been adopted by the society, 
are usually called the Order of the Day. 

Sec. 2. The Order of the Day does not 
require to be seconded, and it is in order 
when another member has the floor. It 
is not debatable; it cannot be amended; 
it requires a majority vote to pass; it takes 
precedence of any other motion except 
Question of Privilege, Reconsider, Adjourn, 

Fix the Time to which to Adjourn, to 
which it yields. PRIVILEGE 23 

Sec. 3. The Orders of the Day are di- TO ADJOURN 25 

vided into two classes, Special Orders and .____ 

General Orders, the first class always tak- Eix the Time to which 
ing precedence of the latter. General Or- Adjourn 

ders can be made by a majority, by post¬ 
poning questions to certain times, or by 
adopting a program or order of business 
for the day or session. General Orders 
cannot interfere with the established rules 
of the assembly. A special Order suspends 
all of the rules of the assembly that inter¬ 
fere with its consideration at the time 
specified, and it therefore requires a two- 
third vote to make any question a special 
order. After one Special Order is made for 
a certain time, it is not in order to make 


LIST OF 33 
Miscellaneous Motions 

LIST OF 27 
Incidental Questions 

LIST OF 21 
Privileged Motions 


ORDER OF THE 
DAY 


(CONTINUED) 


QUESTION OE 











Continued 


another Special Order to precede or inter¬ 
fere with it, but a Special Order can inter¬ 
fere with General Orders. 

Sec. 4 When the Orders of the Day are 
taken up, it is necessary to take up first the 
Special Orders, if there are any, and then 
the General Orders; the separate questions 
must be taken up in their exact order, the 
one first assigned to the day or hour takes 
precedence of one afterwards assigned to 
the same day or hour. 

Any of the subjects, when taken up, in¬ 
stead of being then considered, can be as¬ 
signed to some other time, a majority be¬ 
ing competent to postpone even a Special 
Order. 

Sec. 5. The form of this question when 
put by the chair is: “Shall the Order of 
the Day be taken up?” or “Will the assem¬ 
bly now proceed to the Order of the Day?” 

Sec. 6. The effect of an affirmative vote, 
on a call for the Orders of the Day, is to 
remove the question under consideration 
from before the assembly the same as if it 
had been interrupted by an adjournment. 
The effect of a negative vote is to dispense 
with the Orders merely so far as they inter¬ 
fere with the consideration of the question 
then before the assembly. 

Note.—A motion to take up a particular 
part of the Order of the Day, or a certain 
question is not a privileged motion. 


22 






Question of Privilege 


Section i. Questions of Privilege are 
questions relating to the right and priv¬ 
ilege of the assembly or any of its mem¬ 
bers, and. take precedence of all other 
questions, except the motion to Adjourn 
or Fix the Time to which to Adjourn; to 
which they yield. If the question is one 
requiring immediate action it can inter¬ 
rupt a member’s speech. When such a 
question is raised the chairman decides 
whether it is a question of privilege or 
not, from which decision an appeal can be 
taken. 

Sec. 2. A personal explanation is not a 
matter of privilege and cannot be made ex¬ 
cept by a vote of the assembly or by unan¬ 
imous consent. The following are exam¬ 
ples of Questions of Privilege: Disorder 
in the meeting, charges made against the 
official character of a member, one member 
doing anything that will endanger the 
health of others. (See R, pages 40-190.) 

Sec. 3. It is not necessary that the as¬ 
sembly take final action upon a question 
of privilege when it is raised; it may be re¬ 
ferred to a committee, or laid on the table, 
or it may have any other subsidiary mo¬ 
tion applied to it, and in such a case the 
subsidiary motion is exhausted on it with¬ 
out affecting the motion interrupted by the 
question of privilege. As soon as the latter 
is disposed of, the assembly resumes the 
consideration of the question which it in¬ 
terrupted. 


Business 45 
Miscellaneous 

Organization 37 
of Meetings 

LIST OF 33 
Miscellaneous Motions 


LIST OF 27 
Incidental Questions 


(CONTINUED) 

Question oe 

PRIVILEGE 23 
TO ADJOURN 25 

Eix the Time to which 
to Adjourn 




















TO ADJOURN 


Section i. To Adjourn (when unquali¬ 
fied) is a motion made to close a meeting, 
and if the motion is voted on and lost, it 
can be repeated if there has be^n any in¬ 
tervening business, though it be simply 
progress in debate. 

It requires to be seconded; it is unde- 
batable; it cannot be amended; it requires 
a majority vote to pass; it takes precedence 
of all other motions except to “Fix the 
Time to which to Adjourn,” to which it 
yields. If qualified in any way, it loses its 
privileged character and stands as any other 
Principal Motion. A vote on it cannot be 
reconsidered. 

Sec. 2. The effect upon Unfinished Busi¬ 
ness of an Adjourned Meeting is as fol¬ 
lows: When it closes a-session in an as- 
i sembly which does not meet more often 
1 than once a year, or when the assembly is 
1 an elective body and this session ends the 
term of a part of the members, the adjourn- 

* ment shall put an end to all business unfin¬ 
ished at the close of the session. The 

j business can be introduced at the next ses- 
' sion, the same as if it had never been be- 
1 fore the assembly. When it does not close 
^ the session, the business interrupted by the 

* adjournment is the first in order after the 
reading of the minutes at the next meeting, 

* and is treated the same as if there had been 
c 

no adjournment. 


24 



Continued 


Sec. 3. The Motion to Adjourn cannot 
be made when another has the floor, and 
after a question has been put and the as¬ 
sembly is engaged in voting; but it is in 
order after the vote has been taken and 
before it has been announced. In some 
cases it takes a great deal of time to count 
the ballots and it would often be advan¬ 
tageous to take a short recess, until the 
ballots were counted. A Recess is an 
adjournment of the assembly for a lim¬ 
ited time during its session. 

Fix the Time to which 
to Adjourn 

Section 1. Fix the Time to which to 
Adjourn is a motion made to fix the 
time when the assembly will meet again. 
It is in order even after the assembly has 
voted to adjourn, provided the chairman 
has not announced the results of the vote. 

It requires to be seconded. If made when 
another question is before the assembly, it 
is undebatable; if made when no other 
question is before the assembly, it stands 
as any other Principal Motion, and is de¬ 
batable. It can be amended by changing the 
time; it requires a majority vote to pass, and 
takes precedence of all other motions. 

Sec. 2. The form of the motion is, 
“When this assembly adjourns, it adjourns 
to meet at (here state the time).” 


Business 45 
Miscellaneous 

Organization 37 
of Meetings 

LIST OF 33 
MiscellaneousMotions 


LIST OF 27 
Incidental Questions 


TO ADJOURN 25 

Fix the Time <0 which 
to Adjourn 












suo 


Incidental Questions 


Section i. Incidental Questions are such 
as arise out of other questions; conse¬ 
quently they take precedence of, and are 
to be decided before, the questions which 
give rise to them. 

Sec. 2. They require to be seconded; 
they are undebatable, except an appeal 
which is debatable or not, as shown in 
Section 2 of Appeal. They cannot be 
amended and they yield to all Privileged 
Motions. 

They are as follows: 

Suspension of the Rules. 

Leave to Withdraw a Motion. 

The Reading of Papers. 

Objection to the Consideration of a 
Question. 

Appeal or Question of Order. 


26 



Suspension of the Rules 


Section i. It is necessary for every as¬ 
sembly or society to have rules to enable 
them to transact business; yet at times their 
interests are best served by suspending 
their rules temporarily. A Motion to Sus¬ 
pend the Rules can be applied only to Rules 
of Order or Standing Rules, as Constitu¬ 
tion and By-Laws cannot be suspended even 
by unanimous consent. 

It requires to be seconded; it cannot be 
amended, and it requires a two-thirds vote 
to pass. 

Sec. 2. The rules of the assembly shall 
not be suspended except for a definite pur¬ 
pose ; nor shall any rule be suspended un¬ 
less by unanimous consent, that gives any 
right to a minority as small as one-third. 
A motion to suspend the rule for the same 
purpose cannot be renewed at the same 
meeting; though it may be renewed after 
an adjournment, though the next meeting 
be held the same day. It cannot have any 
subsidiary motion applied to it, nor a vote 
on it reconsidered. The form of this mo¬ 
tion is, “I move to suspend the rules which 
interfere with,” (here state the object of 
the suspension). By general consent, that 
is, if no one objects, the rules relating to 
the transaction of business can at any time 
be ignored without the formality of a mo¬ 
tion. (See R, page 188.) 


Business 45 
Miscellaneous 


Organization 37 
of Meetings 

LIST OF 33 
MiscellaneousMotions 


LIST OF 27 
Incidental Questions 


SUSPENSION OF 
THE RULES 


Leave to Withdraw 
a Motion 

The Reading of 

Papers 29 
—--^ ,. 

Objection to the Con¬ 
sideration of a 
Question 

Appeal or Question ; 
of Order 


(Continued on next 
Page) 






















Leave to Withdraw 
a Motion 


Section i. When a motion is before the 
assembly and the mover wishes to with¬ 
draw or modify it, or substitute a differ¬ 
ent one in its place, if no one objects, the 
presiding officer grants the permission; if 
any objection is made, it will be necessary 
to obtain leave to withdraw, etc., on a 
motion for that purpose. It requires to be 
seconded; it is undebatable; it cannot be 
amended; it requires a majority vote to 
pass, and yields to all Privileged Motions. 

Sec. 2 . A motion which has been with¬ 
drawn has not been acted upon, and there¬ 
fore can be renewed. When a subject has 
been referred to a committee, which reports 
at the same meeting, the subject stands be¬ 
fore the assembly as a new motion. 


. 



The Reading of Papers 


Section i. If a speaker wishes to read a 
paper or have the secretary read a paper, 
and no one objects, the presiding officer 
grants the permission; but if any objection 
is made, it will be necessary to obtain leave 
to read the paper, on motion made for that 
purpose. 

It requires to be seconded; it is unde- 
batable; it cannot be amended; it requires 
a majority vote to pass, and yields to all 
Privileged Motions. 

Sec. 2. Where papers are laid before the 
assembly, every member has a right to have 
them once read before he can be compelled 
to vote on them, and whenever a member 
asks for the reading of any such paper, evi¬ 
dently for information, and pot for delay, 
the chair should direct it to be read, if no 
one objects; but rf objection is made, then 
permission must be obtained from the as¬ 
sembly. It cannot be debated or amend¬ 
ed ; it requires a two-thirds vote to pass; 
it cannot have any subsidiary motion ap¬ 
plied to it, and it yields to all Privileged 
Motions. 


Business 45 
Miscellaneous 


Organization 37 
of Meetings 

LIST OF 33 
Miscellaneous Motions 


Leave to Withdraw 
a Motion 

The Reading of 
Papers 29 

Objection to the Con¬ 
sideration of a 
Question 

Appeal or Question ; 
of Order 


(Continued on next 
Page) 31 















Objection to the Considera¬ 
tion of a Question 


Section i. Sometimes a resolution or 
motion is introduced that the assembly do 
not wish to consider, because it is irrele¬ 
vant, profitless, or for other reasons. 
Hence, objection can be made to the 
consideration of any principal motion, 
but only when it is first introduced, be¬ 
fore it has been debated. 

It can be made while another member 
has the floor; it does not require to be sec¬ 
onded ; it is undebatable; it cannot be 
amended; it requires a two-thirds vote to 
pass; it cannot have any subsidiary mo¬ 
tion applied to it, and it yields to all 
Privileged Motions. 

Sec. 2. When a motion is made and any 
member “objects to its consideration,” the 
chairman shall immediately put the motion, 
“Shall the question be considered?” The 
object of this motion is not to cut off de¬ 
bate, but to enable the assembly to avoid 
altogether any question which it may deem 
irrelevant, unprofitable or contentious. 


30 





Appeal 

or Question of Order 

Section i. It is the duty of the chairman 
to decide all question of *order; the priority 
of business and interpret all rules of the 
assembly. If a member objects to the de¬ 
cision of the chair, he says, “I appeal from 
the decision of the chair.” If the appeal is 
seconded, the chairman immediately states 
the question, as follows: “Shall the deci¬ 
sion of the chair stand as the judgment of 
the assembly?” If there is a tie vote the 
decision of the chair is sustained. 

Sec. 2. An Appeal requires to be sec¬ 
onded ; it is undebatable when it relates 
simply to indecorum, or to transgressions 
of the rules of speaking, or to the priority 
of business, or if it is made while the pre¬ 
vious question is pending. But when it 
relates to the interpretation of the Consti¬ 
tution, By-Laws, Resolutions, or Standing 
Rules of the assembly, it is debatable. It 
cannot be amended; it requires a majority 
vote to pass; it takes precedence of the 
question giving rise t© it, and yields to all 
Privileged Motions. 

Sec. 3. If an Appeal is debatable the 
motion to Lay on the Table and the Pre¬ 
vious Question can be applied to it, and 
when adopted they affect nothing but the 
Appeal. When an Appeal is debatable, 
no member is allowed to speak but once; 
but whether debatable or not, the presiding 
officer, without leaving the chair, can state 
the reasons upon which he bases his deci¬ 
sion. 


Business 45 
Miscellaneous 


Organization 37 
of Meetings 

LIST OF 33 
MiscellaneousMotions 







Objection to the Con¬ 
sideration of a 
Question 

— 

Appeal or Question ; 
of Order 

- , 

(Continued on next 

Page) 31 













Continued 



An Appeal is not in order when another 
Appeal is pending, but a vote on an Appeal 
may be reconsidered. 

The chairman may ask the advice of 
members when he has to decide a question 
of order, or when he is unable to decide 
the question, he may at once submit the 
question to a vote of the assembly. 

TO RESCIND 


Section i. To Rescind is a motion made 
to annul some action of the assembly or 
society, that they have previously taken, 
and when it is too late to reconsider the 
vote. The proper course to pursue is to 
move to Rescind the objectionable resolu¬ 
tion or motion. 

This motion has no privilege but stands 
on the same footing with a new resolution 
or motion. Any action of the assembly 
can be rescinded regardless of the time that 
has elapsed. 

Sec. 2. When it is desired to Rescind the 
action and also express very strong disap¬ 
proval, the assembly may vote to Rescind 
the resolution or motion and expunge it 
from the record, which is done by crossing 
out the words, or drawing a line around 
them, and writing across them the words, 
“Expunged, by order of the assembly,” giv¬ 
ing the date of the order. 


32 







Renewal of a Notion 


Business 45 
Miscellaneous 


Organization 37 
of Meetings 


Section i. When a Principal Question or 
Amendment has been once acted upon by 
the assembly, it cannot be taken up again 
at the same session except by a motion to 
Reconsider; but a correction of the minutes 
can be made without a motion to Recon¬ 
sider, at the same or any subsequent session 
or meeting, and so can a motion to Re¬ 
scind. 

Sec. 2. The motion to Adjourn can be 
renewed if there has been any progress in 
debates, or any business transacted. As a 
general rule the introduction of any motion 
that alters the state of affairs, makes it in 
order to renew any Subsidiary Motion, ex¬ 
cept an Amendment, any Privileged Mo¬ 
tion, except the Orders of the Day; or any 
Incidental Question, except the Suspen¬ 
sion of the Rules. To illustrate: A 

motion that a question lay on the table, hav¬ 
ing failed and afterwards it be moved to 
refer the matter to a committee, it' would 
then be in order to move again, that the 
subject lay on the table; but such a mo¬ 
tion would not be in order if it were made 
after the failure of the motion to commit; 
as then there would be no change in the 
state of affairs. So, if a question has been 
taken from the table, it would not be in or¬ 
der to move to lay it on the table again, 
or if objection has been made to the con-j 
sideraiion of a question and voted down, :U 
would not be in order to move to lay it on 
the table, because this would involve the 
very question that the assembly has just 
decided. 


LIST OF 33 
MiscellaneousMotions 


TO RESCIND 


RENEWAL OE A 
MOTION 


Reconsideration of a 
Question 35 


( Continued on next 
Page) 












Reconsideration of a 
Question 


Section i. Reconsider is a motion made 
.to consider a question a second time. When 
a question has been once adopted, rejected, 
or suppressed, it cannot be again considered 
during that session, except by a motion to 
reconsider the vote on that question. To 
move to reconsider a vote is in order at 
any time, even when another member has 
the floor, or while the assembly is voting 
on the motion to Adjourn, during the day 
on which a motion has been acted upon, 
or the next succeeding day, and if such a 
motion is made it should be entered on the 
record, but it cannot be considered while 
another question is before the assembly. 
It must be made by a member who voted 
with the prevailing side (except when the 
vote is by ballot), as for instance, in case 
a motion fails to pass for lack of a two- 
th'rds vote, a reconsideration must be 
moved by one who voted against the mo¬ 
tion. 

Sec. 2. A motion to Reconsider requires 
to be seconded; it is debatable, or not, just 
as the question to be reconsidered is de¬ 
batable or undebatable; when debatable, it 
opens up for discussion the entire subject 
to be considered. It cannot be amended; it 
requires a majority vote to pass; it takes 
precedence of the Principal Motion, when 
the reconsideration is on a subsidiary mo¬ 
tion, and it yields to Incidental Questions 
and Privileged Motions, except the Orders 
of the Day. 


34 




Continued 


Business 45 
Miscellaneous 


Organization 37 
of Meetings 


Sec. 3. This motion can be applied to 
the vote on every other question, except to 
Adjourn, to Suspend the Rules, an affirm¬ 
ative vote on, to Lay on the Table, or to 
Take from the Table, or a vote electing to 
office one who is present and does -not de¬ 
cline. If a motion has been amended, then 
a vote taken on the motion as amended, 
it would not be in order to reconsider the 
vote on the amendment until after the 
vote on the original motion had been recon¬ 
sidered. No motion can be reconsidered 
twice, unless it was amended after its first 
reconsideration. A motion to Reconsider 
can be laid on the table, and like any other 
question it can be taken from the table; 
the Previous Question, if ordered when it is 
pending, affects only the motion to Re¬ 
consider. The motion to reconsider being 
laid on the table, does not carry with it 
the pending question. 

Sec. 4. The effect of making a motion to 
Reconsider is to suspend all action that was 
taken on the original motion, until the re¬ 
consideration is acted upon; but if it is 
not called up, its effect terminates with the 
session; provided, that in an assembly hav¬ 
ing regular meetings as often as monthly 
its effect shall not terminate till the close 
of the next regular meeting, unless there is 
an adjourned meeting of the one at which 
thereconsideration was moved, held upon 
another day, then it would terminate at the 
close of said adjourned meeting. 


Reconsideration of a 
Question 35 


( Continued on next 
Page) 





1 


i' 

i 









Continued 


The reconsideration of a Subsidiary Mo¬ 
tion or Incidental Question shall be imme¬ 
diately acted upon, unless the vote to be 
reconsidered had the effect of removing the 
whole subject from before the assembly. 
To illustrate : If the motion to Indefi¬ 
nitely Postpone is carried, the subject is 
removed from before the assembly, conse¬ 
quently there is no hindrance to business 
in permitting the reconsideration to hold 
over to another day. But suppose the mo¬ 
tion to Indefinitely Postpone is lost, show¬ 
ing that the assembly wish to consider the 
subject; then, if it rs moved to Reconsider 
the last vote, the reconsideration must be 
immediately acted upon, as otherwise the 
whole subject would be removed from be¬ 
fore the assembly, until another day, not¬ 
withstanding the assembly had just voted 
not to postpone the subject. 

Sec. 6. If anything which the assembly 
cannot reverse has been done as the result 
of a vote, then that vote cannot be recon¬ 
sidered. If the Previous Question has been 
partly executed, it cannot be reconsidered. 
The minutes can be corrected any number 
of times without a reconsideration. When 
the reconsideration has been called up it 
can be treated as other motions and held 
over as unfinished business. Anyone can 
call up the motion to reconsider and have 
it acted upon, except when its effect ex¬ 
tends beyond the meeting at which the 
motion was made; then no one but the 
mover can call it up at that meeting. 


36 




Organization of a Mass 
Meeting 


Business 45 
Miscellaneous 


Organization 37 
of Meetings 


When a meeting is held, which is not one 
of an organized society, shortly after the 
time appointed for the meeting, some mem¬ 
ber of the meeting (usually a member who 
issued the call for the meeting) steps for¬ 
ward and says“The meeting will please 
come to order.” He will then state the ob¬ 
ject for which the meeting is called, and 
say: “The first thing in order is the election 
of a chairman.” 

Some one should rise and say, “I move 

that Mr. A- act as chairman of this 

meeting.” Someone else says, “I second the 
motion.” Then the member who called the 
meeting to order says, “It has been moved 
and seconded that Mr. A- act as chair¬ 

man of this meeting. Those in favor of the 
motion will say yesand when the affirma¬ 
tive vote is taken, he says, “Those opposed 
will say no.” If the majority vote is in 
the affirmative, he says, “The motion is car¬ 
ried. Mr. A- will take the chair.” If 

the motion is lost, he announces that fact, 
and calls for the nomination of someone 
else for chairman, and proceeds with the 
new nomination as in the first case. 

When Mr. A-takes the chair he says: 

“The first business in order is the election 
of a secretary.” Then the assembly pro¬ 
ceeds to elect a secretary in the same, or 
similar way, that the chairman was elected. 

If there is more than one member nom¬ 
inated the assembly shall vote on the first 
one nominated; if he is not elected, then 


(Continued) 39 


(Continued) 41 


Organization of a 
Convention 


Meetings 43 
and Sessions 


Chairman or 
President 






| 













Continued 


the assembly shall vote on the second one, 
and so on till some one is elected. 

The secretary should take his seat near 
the chairman and keep a record of all 
business transacted by the assembly. 

These two officers are all that are usu¬ 
ally necessary for a meeting; so, when 
the secretary is elected, the chairman asks, 
“What is the further pleasure of the meet¬ 
ing?” At this stage of the proceedings it is 
proper for some one to offer a resolution 
or else to move the appointment of a com¬ 
mittee to prepare resolutions upon the 
subject for which the meeting was called. 
In the first case he rises and says: “Mr. 
Chairman.” The chairman responds: 
“Mr. C-.” Mr. C— having thus ob¬ 

tained the floor, then says: “I move the 
adoption of the following resolution,” which 
he then reads and hands to the chairman or 
secretary. Some one else says, “I second 
the motion.” The chairman then says, “The 
question is on the adoption of the resolution 
just read,” and if no one rises, he adds, 
“Are you ready for the question?” If no 
one rises to speak, he says, “As many as are 
in favor of the adoption of the resolution 
just read will say yes.” After the ayes have 
voted, he says, “As many as are opposed 
will say, “No.” The chairman will then say, 
“The motion is carried,” or “The motion is 
lost,” whichever the case may be. 

If it is desired to appoint a committee to 
draft resolutions, a member should obtain 


38 



Continued 


the floor and say: “I move that a committee 
of three (or any other number) be ap¬ 
pointed by the chair to draft resolutions 
expressive of the sense of this meeting on 
the subject for which this meeting was 
called.” 

The committee may be “appointed” by 
the chair, in which case the chairman names 
the committee and no vote is taken. 

The committee may be “nominated” by 
the chair, or by members of the assembly 
(no member nominating more than one, 
except by unanimous consent), and the 
assembly vote on their appointment. If 
nominations are made by members of the 
assembly and more names mentioned than 
the number of the committee, a separate 
vote should be taken on each name. 

When the committee are appointed or 
elected they should at once retire and write 
out a resolution. Upon their return the 
chairman of the committee avails himself of 
the first opportunity to obtain the floor, 
when he says: “The committee appointed : 
to draft resolutions are prepared to re¬ 
port.” The chairman tells him that the as¬ 
sembly will now hear the report, which is 
then read by the chairman of the commit¬ 
tee and handed to the presiding officer or 
secretary, upon which the committee is dis¬ 
solved without any action of the assembly. 

A member then moves the adoption, or 
acceptance of the report, or that the resolu¬ 
tion be agreed to, which motions have the 


Business 45 
Miscellaneous 
— 


(Continued) 39 


(Continued) 41 


Organization of a 
Convention 


Meetings 43 
and Sessions 

Chairman or 
President 













Continued 


same effect if carried, namely, to make the 
resolutions the resolutions of the assembly, 
just the same as if the committee had no*- 
drawn them. 

If it is not desired immediately to adopt 
the resolutions,'they can be debated, amend¬ 
ed, postponed, etc. 

When through with the business for 
which the meeting was called, or when for 
any other cause it is desired to close the 
meeting, someone moves, to adjourn. If 
the motion is carried, and no other time 
. for meeting has been appointed, the chair- 
i man says: “The motion is carried. This 
[assembly stands adjourned without day.” 

< 

t 


t 

c 

j 

< 

a 

i 

j 

■\ 

A 

< 

1 

C 


40 





A Convention or Assembly 
of Delegates 


If the members of the assembly have 
been elected or appointed, it becomes neces¬ 
sary to know who are members of the as¬ 
sembly and entitled to vote, before the per¬ 
manent organization is effected. 

In this case a temporary organization 
is made, as already described, by the elec¬ 
tion of a chairman and secretary pro tern. 

The next business in order is the ap¬ 
pointment of a committee on credentials. A 
motion may then be made covering the en¬ 
tire case, thus: “I move that a committee 
of three (or any other number) be ap¬ 
pointed by the chair, on credentials of mem¬ 
bers.”. 

On motion to accept the report of the 
committee, none, can vote except those re- 
oorted by the committee as having proper 
credentials. 

The committee, besides reporting a list 
of members with proper credentials, may 
report doubtful or contested cases, with 
recommendations, which the assembly may 
adopt, or reject, or postpone, etc. Only 
members whose right to their seats is un¬ 
disputed can vote. 

The chairman, after the question of cre¬ 
dentials is disposed of, announces that “The 
next business in order is the election of 
permanent officers of the assembly.” The 
assembly may elect their officers either by 
ballot, or by acclamation. 


Business 45 
Miscellaneous 


(Continued) 41 


Organization of a 
Convention 


Meetings 43 
and Sessions 

Chairman or 
President 











Meeting and Session 


\ 


Section i. A meeting is an assembling 
together of the members of a deliberative 
assembly for any length of time, during 
which there is no separation of the mem¬ 
bers by adjournment; but a session of an 
assembly may consist of many meetings, as 
a session of congress, or a session of a 
convention. An adjournment to meet again 
at some other time, even the same day, ter¬ 
minates the meeting but not the session. 

Section 2. Any meeting which is not an 
adjournment of another meeting commences 
a new session. In the case of a permanent 
society, having regular meetings every 
week, month or year — each meeting con¬ 
stitutes a separate session of the society; 
but these sessions can be prolonged by ad¬ 
journing to another day. When an as¬ 
sembly has meetings for several days con- 
1 secutively, they all constitute one session, 
s (See R page 131.) 


( 

i 

j 

a 

■\ 


42 




Business 45 
Miscellaneous 

Chairman or President- 


Section i. It is the duty of the chairman 
to call the meeting to order at the appointed 
time, to preside at all the meetings, to an¬ 
nounce the business before the assembly in 
its proper order, to state and put all ques¬ 
tions properly brought before the assembly, 
to preserve order and to decide all ques¬ 
tions of order. 

Sec. 2. In all cases where his vote would 
affect the results, or where the vote is by 
ballot, he can vote. The chairman should 
be careful to abstain from the appearance 
of partisanship, but he has the right to call 
another member to the chair while he ad¬ 
dresses the assembly on a question. When 
speaking to a question of order he does not 
leave the chair. 

Note.—The chairman should memorize 
the list of Common Motions and should be 
able to -refer to any list of motions in the 
Manual so quickly that there would be no 
delay in deciding any question. He should 
know all the business to come regularly be¬ 
fore the meeting and call for it in its reg¬ 
ular order. Learn all about parliamentary 
law, so if a member asks what motion to 
make in order to attain a certain object, 
you should be able to tell him at once. If 
a member ignorantly makes an improper 
motion, politely suggest the proper one. 


Meetings 43 
and Sessions 


Chairman or 
President 









Adoption of Report 


Section i. When the assembly is to con¬ 
sider a report a motion should be made to 
adopt, accept, or agree to the report, either 
of which, when carried, have the same ef¬ 
fect, namely, to make the doings of the 
committee become the acts of the assembly, 
the same as if done by the assembly with¬ 
out the committee. After either of the 
above motions is made, the report stands 
before the assembly exactly the same as if 
there had been no committee, and the sub¬ 
ject had been introduced by the motion of a 
member. When the committee’s report is 
only for the information of the assembly, 
it is not necessary to take action on it after 
it has been read. 

Sec. 2. Immediately after the commit¬ 
tee’s report is read, someone should make 
the proper motion, as indicated above, and 
the proper person to make it *s the member 
of the committee who makes the report. 


44 




Ayes and Noes 


Business 45 
Miscellaneous 


Adoption of Report 


Section i. The assembly can, by a ma¬ 
jority vote, order that the vote on any 
question be taken by YEAS AND NAYS, 
which is the same as AYES AND NOES. 

In this method of voting the chairman 
states both sides of the question; the clerk 
calls the roll, and each member, as his 
name is called, rises and answers yes or 
no, and the clerk notes his answer. Upon 
the completion of the roll-call the clerk 
reads over the names of those who an¬ 
swered in the affirmative, and afterwards 
those in the negative, that mistakes may be 
corrected. He then gives the number vot¬ 
ing on each side to the chairman, who 
announces the results. 

An entry must be made in the minutes 
of the names of all voting in the affirmative, 
and also of those voting in the negative. 

Sec. 2. The form of putting a question 
upon which the vote has been ordered to be 
taken by yeas and nays is similar to the 
following: “As many as are in favor of 
the adoption of these resolutions will, when 
their names are called, answer yes; those 
opposed will answer no.” 

It is too late, after one person has an¬ 
swered to the roll-call, to renew the debate. 
After the commencement of the roll-call it 
is too late to ask to be excused from vot¬ 
ing. The yeas and nays cannot be ordered 
in Committee of the Whole. 


Ayes and Noes 

Constitution 47 
and By-Laws 


Call of House 49 


Call to Order 


Common 51 
Errors 


Decorum in Debate 


DEBATE 53 


Forms of Reports 

Introduction 5* 
of Business 

Secretary 57 
or Clerk 

Treasurer 59 

VOTE 



























Constitution and By-Laws 


Section i. The Constitution of an as¬ 
sembly or society should contain nothing 
but what is fundamental; usually contain¬ 
ing only the following: 

1 Name and object of the society. 

2 Qualification of members. 

3 Officers, their election and duties. 

4 Meetings of the society. 

5 How to amend the Constitution. 

These can be arranged in five articles, 

each article being subdivided into sections. 
It should be made very difficult to amend; 
usually, previous notice of the amendment 
is required, and also a two-thirds vote for 
its adoption. 

Where the meetings are frequent, an 
amendment should not be allowed to be 
made except at a quarterly or annual meet¬ 
ing, after having been prepared at the pre¬ 
vious quarterly meeting. (Leave details 
of meetings to the By-laws.) 

Sec. 2. The By-Laws should contain all 
the other standing rules of the society of 
such importance that they should be placed 
cut of the power of any one meeting to 
modify; but they may omit the rules of or¬ 
der and adopt a rule like this: “The rules 
contained in (here specify some work on 
parliamentary law), shall govern the so¬ 
ciety in all cases where they are not incon¬ 
sistent with the By-Laws or rules of order 
of this.society.” Without such a rule, any¬ 
one so disposed could cause great trouble 
in a meeting. 


46 



Continued 


Sec. 3. In nearly every society resolu¬ 
tions of a permanent nature are occasionally 
adopted, which are binding on the society 
until they are rescinded or modified. These 
are called Standing Rules, and can be 
adopted by a majority vote at any meet¬ 
ing. After they have been adopted, they 
cannot be modified at the same session ex¬ 
cept by a reconsideration. At any further 
session they can be suspended, modified or 
rescinded by a majority vote. No standing 
rule can be adopted which conflicts with the 
Constitution, By-Laws, or Rules of Order. 


Constitution 47 
and By-Laws 

Call of House 49 


Call <0 Order 


Common 51 
Errors 




Decorum in Debate 


DEBATE 53 


Forms of Reports 

Introduction 55 
of Business 


Secretary 57 
or Clerk 

Treasurer 59 


VOTE 





















Call of the House 


Section i. The object of a call of the 
house is to compel the attendance of absent 
members, and is allowable only in assem¬ 
blies that have the power to compel the at¬ 
tendance of absentees. It is usual to pro¬ 
vide that when no quorum is present, a 
small number (say one-fifth of the elected 
members in Congress) can order a call of 
the House. 

Sec. 2. If no quorum is present a call of 
the House takes precedence of everything, 
even reading of the minutes, except the 
motion to adjourn, and only requires in 
its favor the number specified in the rule. 
If a quorum is present a call should rank 
with Question of Privilege, requiring a 
majority vote for its adoption, and if re¬ 
jected it should not be renewed while a 
quorum is present, at that meeting. After 
a call is ordered, until further proceedings 
in the call are dispensed with, no motion is 
in order except to adjourn and a motion 
relating to the call, so that a recess could 
not be taken by unanimous consent. 

An adjournment puts an end to all pro¬ 
ceedings in tne call, except that the assem¬ 
bly, before adjournment, if a quorum is 
present, can order such members as are 
already arrested, to make their excuses at 
an adjourned meeting. 


48 



Call to Order 



Section i. It is the duty of the presiding 
officer to enforce the rules and orders of the 
assembly. It is also the right of every 
member, who notices a breach of a rule, 
to insist upon its enforcement. In such 
cases the member shall rise from his seat, 
and say: “Mr. Chairman, I rise to a point 
of order.” Then the chairman requests 
the member to state his point of order,, 
which he does and resumes his seat. The 
chair decides the point and permits the first 
speaker to resume his speech, directing 
him to abstain from any conduct that was 
decided to be out of order. The chairman 
may ask the advice of members when he 
has to decide a question of order, or when 
he is unable to decide the question, may at 
once submit it to the assembly. 

If the member’s remarks are decided to 
be improper, and anyone objects to his 
continuing the speech, he cannot continue 
it without a vote of the assembly to that 
effect. 


Call of House 49 


Call to Order 


Common 51 
Errors 


Decorum in Debate 

- T --- \ 

DEBATE 53 


Eorms of Reports 

Introduction 55 
of Business 


Secretary 57 
or Clerk 


Treasurer 59 



















Common Errors 


First. A very common error is after 
a report has been read, to move that it be 
received; whereas the fact that it has been 
read shows that it has been already re¬ 
ceived by the assembly. 

Second. Another mistake is to vote that 
the report be accepted (which is equivalent 
to adopting it) when the intention is only to 
have the report up for consideration and 
.afterwards move its adoption. 

Third. To move that “the report be 
adoped and the committee be discharged,” 
when the committee has reported in full 
and its report has been received, the com¬ 
mittee has already ceased to exist. If the 
committee, however, has made but a par¬ 
tial report, or reports progress, then it is 
in order to move that the committee be dis¬ 
charged from the further consideration of 
the subject (See R page 86.) 

Fourth. Sometimes a meeting is mis¬ 
called a session. A meeting of an assembly 
terminates by adjourning, to meet again, 
some, time during the session. A session 
of an assembly ends with an adjournment 
without day, and may consist of many meet¬ 
ings. Taking a recess for a few minutes 
does not terminate the meeting. 

Fifth. The effect of the previous ques¬ 
tion is many times misunderstood. To vote 
on the previous question is the same in 
effect as to vote that debate now cease. 

Sixth. Sometimes a motion is made and 
amended, then a substitute is offered for 
both, which is out of order because a sub¬ 
stitute is the same as an amendment and 
cannot be made to cover more than one 
motion. 



Decorum in Debate 


Section 4. When a member reports a 
measure from a committee, he cannot in 
any way be deprived of his right to close 
the debate; so if the previous question is 
ordered the chairman at once assigns him 
the floor to close the debate. The person 
who introduces a resolution is sometimes 
cut off from speaking by the motion to lay 
the question on the table being made as 
soon as the chair states the question, or 
even before. In such cases the introducer 
of the resolution shall always claim the floor 
to which he is entitled and make his speech. 
(See R page 54-99.) A measure may be 
condemned in strong terms. It is not the 
man, but the measure, that is the subject of 
debate. 


Common 51 
Errors 


Decorum in Debate 


Section 2. If at any time the chairman 
rises to state a point-of order, or gives in¬ 
formation, or otherwise speaks, within his 
privilege, the member speaking must take 
his seat till the chairman has been first 
heard. Disorderly words should be taken 
down by the member who objects to them, 
or by the clerk, and then read to the mem¬ 
bers; if he detfies them, the assembly shall 
decide by a vote whether they are his words 
or not. If a member cannot justify the 
words he used, and will not suitably apol¬ 
ogize for using them, it is the duty of the 
assembly to act in the case. If any busi¬ 
ness has taken place since the member spoke, 
it is too late to take notice of any disor¬ 
derly words he used. 


DEBATE 53 


forms of Reports 

Introduction 55 
of Business 

Secretary 57 

or Clerk 
-—-. 

Treasurer 59 


VOTE 












DEBATE 


Section i. When any member is about to 
speak in debate he shall rise and respect¬ 
fully address the presiding officer by his 
official title thus: “Mr. Chairman” or “Mr. 
President.” The chairman shall then recog¬ 
nize him, as having the floor, by announcing 
his name. All remarks must be addressed 
to the chairman and confined to the ques¬ 
tion before assembly, avoiding all personali¬ 
ties and reflections upon any one’s motives. 

Section <2. No member can speak the 
second time to a question until every mem¬ 
ber choosing to speak has spoken. But an 
amendment, or any other motion, being of¬ 
fered, makes the real question before the 
assembly a different one, and in regard to 
the right to debate, is treated as a new ques¬ 
tion. Merely asking a question, or making 
suggestions, is not considered as speaking. 
When an amendment is pending the debate 
must be confined to the merit of the amend¬ 
ment, unless it is of such a nature that its 
decision practically decides the main ques- 
t on. The maker of a motion, though he 
can vote against it, cannot speak against 
his own motion. 

Section 3. No member shall speak more 
than twice to the same question (only 
once to a question of order) nor longer 
than ten minutes at one time, without the 
leave of the assembly by a two-thirds vote. 
The chairman cannot close the debate as 
long as any member desires to speak, and 
should a member cla m the floor after the 
chairman has risen to put the question, or 
even after the affirmative vote has been 
taken, provided the negative has not been 
put, he has a right to resume the debate 
or make a motion. 


52 





Forms of Reports 


Section i. The form of a report is usual¬ 
ly similar to the following: Your commit¬ 
tee appointed to (here state the object) 
would respectfully report that they met 
March i, 1904. (Here specify the business 
transacted by the committee.) The report 
should be signed by the committee. If the 
minority submits a report it commences 
thus: 

The undersigned, a minority, of the com¬ 
mittee appointed to (here state the object) 
would respectfully report, etc. After the 
committee’s report has been read it is usual 
to allow the minority to present their re¬ 
port ; but it cannot be acted upon except by 
a motion to substitute it for the report of 
the committee. When the committee’s 
report is read they are discharged without 
any motion. A motion to refer the paper 
back to the same committee, if adopted re¬ 
vives the committee. 

Section 2. The first member named on 
a committee is its chairman, and it is his 
duty to call together the committee and pre¬ 
side at its meetings, unless the committee 
by a majority of its members elects another 
chairman. 



DEBATE 53 


Forms of Reports 


Introduction 

55 

of Business 


Secretary 

57 

or Clerk 


Treasurer 

59 

VOTE 













Introduction of Business 


Section i. All business should be brought 
before the assembly by a motion of a mem¬ 
ber, or by the presentation of a communi¬ 
cation to the assembly. 

It is not necessary to make a motion to 
receive the report of a committee, or com¬ 
munication to the assembly, provided that 
no one objects; but should any member ob¬ 
ject, a regular motion becomes necessary. 

Sec. 2. Before a member can make a 
motion or address the assembly upon any 
question, it is necessary that he obtain the 
floor; that is, he must rise and address the 
presiding officer by his title, thus: “Mr. 
Chairman,” who will then announce the 
member’s name. 

Where two or more rise at the same time, 
the chairman may decide who is entitled 
to the floor. From his decision, any two 
members can make an appeal. The mem¬ 
ber who made the motion which brought 
the subject before the assembly, or in case 
of a committee’s report, the one who has 
presented the report, is entitled to be rec¬ 
ognized as having the floor, notwithstand¬ 
ing another member may have first risen 
'and addressed the chair. 

Sec. 3. No member who has once had 
the floor is again entitled to it while the 
same question is before the assembly, pro^ 
vided the floor is claimed by one who has 
not spoken to that question. 


54 







Continued 


After the floor has been assigned to a 
member he cannot be interrupted by calls 
for the question, or by a motion to adjourn, 
or for any other purpose, except by Ques¬ 
tion of Order, objection to the consideration 
of the question, question of privilege that 
requires immediate action, call for the Or¬ 
ders of the Day, to have a motion to recon¬ 
sider entered on the minutes. 

Sec. 4. Before any subject is open to 
debate, a motion must be made, it must be 
seconded (except where otherwise provid¬ 
ed),and it must be stated by the presiding 
officer. This does not prevent suggestions 
oi alteration, before the question is stated 
by the chairman; but these suggestions 
must never be allowed to run into debate. 
The member who offers the motion can 
modify his motion or even withdraw it 
entirely, before it is stated by the chairman, 
but after it is stated by the chair he can 
do neither without the consent of the as¬ 
sembly. When the mover modifies his mo¬ 
tion, the one who seconded it may with¬ 
draw his second. 


Introduction 55 
of Business 

Secretary 57 
or Clerk 

Treasurer 59 




VOTE 








Secretary or Clerk 


Section i. The secretary should keep a 
record of all the proceedings, commencing 
in a form similar to the following : 

March ist, 1904. 

A regular meeting of the (here state the 
name of the society) was held at (here 
state the place of meeting) and called to 

order by President B-. The roll-call 

showed the following officers present (here 
state the names of officers). The minutes 
were read and approved. If the minutes 
were not read say “The reading of the min¬ 
utes was dispensed with.” The minutes 
should be signed by the person who acted 
as secretary for that meeting; in some 
societies the chairman must also sign them. 
When published, they should be signed by 
both officers. If these officers were ap¬ 
pointed temporarily they should sign thus: 

A. B.—, President pro tern. 

C. D—, Secretary pro tern. 

Section 2. The secretary should record 
every principal motion that is before the as¬ 
sembly, whether it is adopted or rejected, 
unless there is a rule to the contrary. Where 
there is a division, or where the vote is by 
ballot, he should enter the number of votes 
on each side, and when the voting is by 
yeas and nays, he should enter a list of 
the names of those voting on each side. 
He should indorse on the report of commit¬ 
tees the date of their reception, and what 
further action was taken upon them and 


56 








Continued 


preserve them among the records, for which 
he is responsible. Ii after the minutes have 
been adopted errors should be detected they 
should be corrected regardless of the time 
elapsed and of the number of times they 
have been previously corrected, and without 
a motion to reconsider, but by a simple vote 
to amend the minutes. The minutes and all 
other official documents that have come be¬ 
fore a deliberative assembly, are in the cus¬ 
tody of the secretary. But they are open 
to the inspection of every member. 


Secretary 57 
or Clerk 


Treasurer 59 


VOTE 







TREASURER 


Section i. The duties of the treasurer 
vary in different societies. In the majority 
of cases he acts as a banker, merely holding 
the funds deposited with him and paying 
them out on the order of the society signed 
by the secretary and president. His an¬ 
nual report, which is always required, is 
a statement of the amount on hand at the 
commencement of the year, the amount re¬ 
ceived during the year, from what sources 
received, the total amount paid out by or¬ 
der of the society and the balance on hand. 
When this report is presented it should be 
referred to an auditing committee who ex¬ 
amine the treasurer’s books and vouchers, 
and certify on his report that they have ex¬ 
amined his accounts and find them correct. 
They also state the amount on hand, etc. 
The auditing committee’s report being ac¬ 
cepted is equivalent to accepting the treas¬ 
urer’s report as correct. 

Section 2. The following form of the 
Treasurer’s report can be varied to suit 
most cases. 

Treasurer’s Report. 

The undersigned Treasurer of the S. U. 
B. begs leave to submit the following re¬ 
port : 

The balance on hand at the commence¬ 
ment of the year was $-. There was re¬ 

ceived from all sources during the year, 

$-; during the same time the expenses 

amounted to $-, leaving a balance on 

hand of $-. A detailed statement of re¬ 

ceipts and expenditures is herewith at¬ 
tached. All of which is respectfully sub¬ 
mitted. 

J - C-. 

Treasurer. 


58 















VOTE 


Section i. A two-third or majority vote 
means two-third or a majority of votes cast, 
ignoring blanks, such should never be 
counted. A two-third, or majority vote of 
the members present, means two-third or 
majority of the members at the meeting 
whether they voted or not. A two-third 
or majority vote of the members means 
two-thirds or majority of all members of 
the society that are in good standing. 

Section 2. A plurality vote means that 
one person has more votes for a certain of¬ 
fice or position than any of his rivals. In 
a deliberative assembly a plurality vote 
never elects except by virtue of a special 
rule previously adopted. A member has 
the right to change his vote (when 
not made by ballot) before the decision of 
the question has been finally and conclusive¬ 
ly pronounced by the chair, but not after¬ 
wards. No one can vote on a question af¬ 
fecting himself, unless more than one name 
is included in the resolution, then all are en¬ 
titled to vote. 

Section 3. When there is a tie vote the 
motion fails, unless the chairman gives his 
vote for the affirmative, which he is at lib¬ 
erty to do as he has a right to vote when¬ 
ever his vote will change the results. 
Where his vote in the negative will make 
a tie, he can cast it and thus defeat the 
measure. In case of an appeal a tie vote 
sustains the chair. Where there is only one 
candidate for an office, and the constitution 
requires the vote to be by ballot, it is com¬ 
mon to authorize the secretary to cast the 
vote of the assembly for such and such a 
person; if any one objects, however, it is 
necessary to ballot in the usual way. 


Treasurer 59 




VOTE 






Carpenters anb Bnilbers 
practical IRules 
for Having ©ut “Morh 

CONSIST OF MANY SHORT AND PRACTICAL RULES 
FOR LAYING OUT ALL KINDS OF 

(Broineb ©etiiniis, IRoofs, Braces, Stairs, 
iboppers, Ibanb IRatls, Spirals, 
Ellipses, Hrcbes, ©ctaijons 


rf x ff\ff\ 'V ffx tfx ff\ 

RULES FOR 

KERFING, DRAFTING, GABLE MOULDINGS, GETTING 
THE AXIS OF A SEGMENT, AND EXPLAIN¬ 
ING THE STEEL SQUARE, GIVING 
ALL THAT IS ON IT 
AND ITS USES 

ff\tfXffXffX ffXffXffXffXffXlfXffX 

Wlustrateb bp Drawings anb espectallp abapteb 
for tbe cv>erp=bap use of tbe 
Carpenter*.. 


Among the tables submitted are those giving the length 
of common, hip, valley and jack rafters, from four inch rise 
up to twelve inch rise, and from one foot of run up to twelve 
feet of run; also all of the cuts required for any of these 
pitches. 

In these tables are given 2,700 different lengths of rafters, 
300 different lengths of braces, and the proper cuts for the 
same. 

Herewith is shown one 
of the drawings of rafter 
cuts, of 12 inch rise to one 
foot of run, or what is 
known as square pitch. 

To get any of these cuts 
take a bevel square and 
take the cut wanted from 
the drawing. 

There will be a separate 
drawing for all of the differ¬ 
ent pitches fcubmitted with 
each rafter table. 

PRICE: 

$1.00 per Cops 


Send postal money order to 

flD. W. IRogers 

3604 Stevens Ave., Minnea¬ 
polis, Minn. 











JUN fl iq i 


» , • 
































1 


m -nratr • * ^ ^ ' a/ . , , _ p . -: rrz :: 

9 < ~ % , • 




» 




# 

L 












• 

A gSH i , i k!± 

• ,; 















• 

• : |i 














• 

i i - * * 





• 

• 

1 ;, . 

* 








i s • • i V 1 f- > f \ *' ♦ f hi 

,« * » . ' 1 !. >r, Ji • f J fy f ', flf ft, tilt t */ 









